Wayne Rooney opens up on Derby County return as true feelings summed up in five words

Wayne Rooney says he will always have "a place in his heart" for Derby County, but admits that affection will be brushed aside when he returns this weekend.

The former Rams boss is braced for a reunion for the first time since he quit as manager in 2022 when he brings his Plymouth side to Pride Park on Saturday (3pm kick-off). Rooney is expected to receive a warm ovation having won praise for how he handled the darkest chapter in the club's history in what proved to be a baptism of fire for his first managerial job.

He had to cope with the club being in administration, point deductions and transfer embargoes but fought valiantly against relegation from the Championship. That battle ended with the club slipping into League One, which led him to depart Pride Park at the end of the 2021/22 season.

But looking back at his time at Derby, the now Plymouth boss said: "I have very good memories. I met some very good people and we worked through difficult moments at the football club.

"I think during my time there, we created a really good environment, so I have really fond memories. It will be good to see a few old friends who I haven't seen for a while. It will be nice from that point of view, but my job is here, my loyalty is here, and we have to go there and try to get three points.

"It was difficult times for the football club, for the fans, for the staff. "We had staff members getting made redundant and losing their jobs, but we had to really try to keep it close knit. Sometimes through the most difficult moments it brings people together and I think that's exactly what happened. Not just myself, the coaches around me as well, we really pulled together and tried to do the best we could with the players we had.

"It meant quite a few young players made their debut for the football club. Some of them are still in the team now - young Liam Thompson and (Eiran) Cashin. Obviously, Cash is suspended for the game on Saturday. Those two got an opportunity through the situation the club was in and they have took it and not looked back. It was a difficult moment but I think a lot of good came from that as well."

"Derby will always have a place in my heart for what we went through. I was there as a player as well, which sometimes gets lost. I scored my last ever goal in professional football against Norwich for Derby County.

"It was a place I really enjoyed to play and to go into work as manager. Of course, you always have a soft spot for them but certainly not on Saturday."

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